Otakon 2006

Tokyopop

Tokyopop's 9am Panel, which was a last minute addition to the Otakon schedule was attended by around 30 people (this number grew to about 100 by the end of the panel).

One new license was announced at the panel, Heaven!! By Shizumi Seino will be released in February 2007.

Disney's Kilala Princess will be released starting in Janaury 2007. Described as “Kingdom of Hearts for Girls” Kilala Princess features an Eponymous heroine who meets numerous Disney Princesses (ie: the Little Mermaid, Cinderella, etc…) during her adventures.

Spoke about some ongoing “Global Manga” titles such as Dramacon. Dramacon volume 2 does not start where volume 1 left off, rather it takes place 1 year later at the next year's convention.

Tokyopop is launching two new lines of publications Manga Readers and Manga Chapters. Manga readers are shorter, cheaper versions designed to introduce younger readers (young teens) to manga. Manga Readers will be launched with3 new titles, Mail Order Ninja (Rising Stars 5 winner), Kat & Mouse, and Zapt! Manga Chapters are mixed prose/manga geared towards an even younger demographic. Manga Reader starts in October with two titles: The Grosse Adventures and Agent Boo. Both lines are designed for both male and female readers.

Tokyopop will be moving several of its manga to online exclusives, which can only be ordered from Tokyopop.com. Currently scheduled titles for this exclusivity are Atomic King Daibogan, Neck and Neck (starting with volume 6) and The One. Da-Mi Seomoon's Rure, coming out in March 2007, will also be a Tokyopop.com exclusive.

Tokyopop's Star Trek manga will have the regular cover and two exclusives, 1 by Bettina Kurkoski. One cover will be exclusive to Diamond, and Kurkoski's will be exclusive to the Star Trek 40th anniversary convention.

The Calling You manga (based on the book by Otsuichi) with art by Tsuzuki Setsuri (Broken Angel), will be released January 2007. The novel comes out under Tokyopop's Pop Fiction line in June 07.

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